A review of system boundaries of GHG emission inventories in waste management

Abstract The need to calculate greenhouse gas emissions (GHG emissions) has become more or less ubiquitous throughout the economy, both in public and private areas. As present, a diverse number of calculation methods are available for preparing GHG emission inventories. However, several questions remain unresolved since there is currently no uniformity regarding how to define ‘the waste management industry’. The present paper focuses on these problems. The objectives are: first, to provide an approach for setting up a GHG emission inventory for the waste management sector; and second, to consider the sensitive issue of setting system boundaries when establishing a GHG emission inventory and also to emphasise the considerable need for caution when doing so. The approach elaborated here is based on a comprehensive literature analysis and on a comparison of existing GHG emission calculation approaches, particularly with regard to the waste management sector. Since the issue of selecting system boundaries for establishing GHG emission inventories, particularly in the waste management sector, is a very special and difficult topic, it receives considerable attention in the present paper. This means that the system boundaries and interfaces with respect to three illustrative areas are considered in some depth. These areas are collection and transport, incineration and co-combustion, and biogas plants.